Not Quite Missed
by tearsofbreakingglass
Summary: One of the states has gone missing (a tie-in with In Which They Realize They Love Each Other)


Something was not right. And New York was damn sure of it.

This morning all had been too peaceful. She had poured herself a cup of coffee. The last bagel was still there waiting for her. No one was currently reading the baseball section of the newspaper and someone had brought in the Times for her. The TV was even on a regular morning news station instead of ESPN.

No one else had seemed bothered by these strange habits so Elizabeth decided against making a fuss. If it was her just feeling off than what's the big deal? Whenever she was nervous many of them would act concerned in front of her, but chuckle as they turned their backs on her. _"Silly little thing,"_ They'd muse. _"Still shaken up after all these years. You misplace the sugar and she think it's a sign of terrorists."_

She didn't need to start her day off with being scoffed at. She relaxed and tried to enjoy her morning.

...

By noon, she was concerned.

There wasn't another pot of coffee being made. There was no smell of clam chowder being prepared. Some Kardashian trash was being played in the living room instead of there being an argument over whether ESPN should stay on or that it was time to move to YES. Connecticut wasn't sighing in the background and there were no beer bottles getting opened.

And it was quiet. Unusually quiet for the rather large household.

By this point in time, others had begun to grow confused and feel as if something were missing and Elizabeth had started to snoop. She checked the Northeast wing's bathrooms, she broke into his room. She even went out back to where all the lobster traps were.

Nada. Nothing.

He was gone without a trace and now the New Yorker was mildly terrified. It wasn't in his nature. He never left so suddenly. He would usually share a parting word or at least leave a message on the home phone once he was in the air. There was no scent on him making it seem like he disappeared into the night.

"Where's Massachusetts?" She questioned as she stood in the center of their TV room, demanding everyones attention. New York looked as if this was a great search that the forty-eight others weren't positive they had signed onto.

No one spoke up about his whereabouts, they just questioned on why she was so concerned and if it really mattered. Some said they were even glad he was gone because there would be no more constant bickering between the two. They could finally live and relax in an "almost normal" home and have an "almost normal" day. Big fucking whoop.

A perky blonde stood up from her lounge chair, the latest edition of People rolled up. "Like, why's it such a big deal to you, Yorkie-Kins?" California challenged. Her cerulean eyes taunting New York's caramel ones. "I thought you guys, like, hated each other. Shouldn't this be, like, amazing for you?"

Elizabeth silently cursed herself out. Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit. She should've known that by asking about what happened to him everyone would assume something like this. Even raising an eyebrow would lead to fierce questioning. And God help her if they heard the worry in her voice. But she wasn't worried.

She hated him, she reminded herself. And that was that.

"Oh, I'm loving it! This is pure heaven. Haven't you heard me singing 'New York, New York' all day and not be interrupted by 'Sweet Caroline'? I'm living it up without that bastard!" She inserted a forced and reassuring laugh here. "But it's a bit odd the demon hasn't risen yet. Shit, I even bursted into his room, yelling that it was time for his lazy Masshole ass to get up."

"Elizabeth, do pardon my interruption, but Alexander does have enough common sense to lock his chambers while he's sleeping so you don't play a wicked," Connecticut back tracked as his sister winced at the word. "My apologies, a nasty trick on him. Which in turn is the same reason you lock yours. Speaking on everyone's behalf, that wouldn't be out of the realm of possibilities for the two of you."

She rolled her eyes. While Darian did have a valid point, that wasn't nearly the case. "I've got a key to his room." The whole room in a collective manner gave her a suspicious look. _Shit!_ "I found the key to his room hanging around. Decided to take it incase a good opportunity come up. Like this one. Getting back on track, he wasn't there. He wasn't anywhere in the Northeast hallway and he wasn't out where his stupid lobster gear is getting ready to go out. So I think he's been kidnapped."

Texas looked up from his long and horridly boring paperwork for his ranch. This was some of the biggest bullshit he'd ever had the misfortune of hearing spew out of her mouth. Who'd dream of kidnapping the Masshole? He was loud, obnoxious, and didn't know how to be polite to anyone. That was almost as bad as planning on kidnapping the Yankee, and the only reason they'd have for her is money. "Yankee, are you smokin' the same pot your dad's usin' up in Europe or has that big city pollution finally gotten to your head? He probably got sick of all the daily shit ya'll put each other through. Might even be facing his own daddy issues." Andres then pointed his pen around the group. "If that's the case, than a lotta ya'll should follow suit. Father's Day 'round here involves too much drinkin'."

The brunette women was growing tired of this shit now. No one seemed to be taking this problem as serious as it should be. One of their own was missing. And sure, while he was a demon douche it was important to find him soon. She felt naked without his constant teasing, without him tormenting her every minute. Without feeling her hand smack across his cheek and him pinning her down because, _goddammit!_ They were both sick of each other and were desperately needing to kick the other's ass over trivial things. She explained that to them, excluding some of it so they would stop giving her that look! They thought they knew the whole story on why she wanted to get him back! They would always act like this when she talked about him, looked at him, talked to him, or even brushed up against him.

No wonder he disappeared.

She harrumphed and stalked off. What company New York found herself having. They would freak out over their horrible sports teams losing, get argue senselessly over who had the better food, but when it came to something serious as finding someone who was dearly missed and one of their own showed concern for finding him, nope. Not gonna happen. We're just gonna sit on our fat asses and complain about everything because nobody wants to make a change and we're lazy. Plus we might also break a fucking nail.

They sickened her.

...

By the week's end, she was frantic.

He hadn't sent anything on whether he was safe, if he was alive, or where he was. Not a call, text, fax, email, or carrier pigeon bringing any news.

Elizabeth couldn't help herself when she imagined a thousand ways he could possibly die. Some of them were quite possible, while most of them were absolutely ridiculous. She didn't even bother to realize that if he had died, they would've called the house by now. But worry strips our common sense away.

She shook her head. She wasn't worried. She just missed him being her human punching bag. Because they hated each other.

New Jersey and Connecticut had gotten the worse of her endless searching for him. She would drop her troubles on them and it was a great frustration in their lives. That's not to say they didn't miss him. Though he could be quite infuriating to both of them, they hadn't gotten used to this new routine without him. Brian was unadjusted to only going to bars with Wisconsin now and Darian had lost one of the only people who was interested in sharing knowledge.

But that didn't mean they were overly concerned with his whereabouts. They could live without searching for him twenty four seven. They had tried to inform her of this as nice as they possibly could. They told her that he wasn't their concern and he'll be back at some point in the week. New Jersey did this out of desperation for a break. Connecticut because he was tired of this nonsense.

"Elizabeth, you are driving us crazy!" Darian snapped one fateful day. "Here you are, claiming that you're only looking for him so you have someone's ass to kick again. If that's the only reason you have for missing him then you shouldn't be running as around all over creation looking for the man you hate! Have you ever stopped to actually think about the message you're giving off with how frantic you are over him?" He smirked, knowing the full power of the words he was about to say. The bespeckled state didn't care anymore. If he could get her angry enough, maybe this madness will stop. "It makes one think your feelings for him go deeper than you two let on."

That was where she had him. After a week of her pulling her hair out, how could she deny it without people thinking she's a bigger liar than anyone knew? She had no hope to just stand there and repeat the same spiel and actually get away with it. Elizabeth was fucked and everyone knew it.

But a miscalculation on Connecticut's part caused his perfectly crafted plan to crumble. He reached out for New Jersey's agreement on the matter. Her brother could easily rat her out or make up a cunning ruse. He could easily just make up a story - whether it be true or not - about how they've been together since the Revolution and just kept it secret through constant bickering. But why would he do that? Just to get out of a dumb search he can make her repay him in with beers? No. Brian may be cruel to his sister (and visa versa), but he was no monster.

All he did was shake his head and give his sister the faintest of smiles. "Darian, maybe she just really wants to kick his ass. Badly. C'mon now. You and I both know they would never have anything going on. 'Sides, you hate me and you'd miss me if I disappeared."

The blond grew even more frustrated with this answer and stomped off. No one dared to argue with this. The brunette would be the one to know anything about the pair. His lack of any new information made them believe that there simply was nothing. Or at the very least, for now.

...

By Wednesday, she was tired.

Tired of the sleepless nights full of work. Tired of asking anyone in his state if they'd seen him. Tired of acting as if it wasn't that big of a deal. Tired of driving around aimlessly through Boston. Lexington. Cape Cod. The whole fucking state.

New York was just tired of the whole situation.

She laid down on the couch, her body flung carelessly on top of it. Her legs and arms were extended all over the place, tangling themselves with pillows and blankets. By this point, she'd given up on the hope that he'd ever return.

Just when she was silently calculating how much she could sell his Red Sox memorabilia for on E-bay, a voice called to her in the hall. It told her to come there, quick. Elizabeth laughed silently at that. She'd been moving so sluggishly for herself. Quick didn't seem to be part of her anymore.

She dragged herself into the foyer. Probably just a package. Not like a new purse could help perk her up right now anyways. "Whaddya wan-" She looked up and all the anger that she'd been suppressing came rushing up. She glared at the dirty-blond in front of her, who gave her a sheepish smile. "You fucking douchebag! Where the hell have you been!"

Massachusetts ran a hand through his hair, clearly embarrassed by how concerned she sounded. He hadn't been expecting her to be worried. Maybe, nervous, upset, but never worried. He puffed out his chest slightly. He was a grown man after all. Yet that didn't stop him from nervously tripping over his words as he went on about what had happened. "W-Well, ya see...I was away on business. In Europe!" At her eyebrow raised, his face flushed. "I was making some business deals with - what's your dad's name again?"

"You seriously forgot my vader's na-"

"Netherlands! Netherlands, I was making deals with him. And it took so long because he...we talked about you for sometime. Not anything bad! Just, ya'know, talking about how you've been, who you've been with, if I have anything to do with your life. Which I didn't tell him anything important!" He smiled. "And he's also really smart and business like and you would've been better at dealing with him, but Alfred sent me and, I probably should've called everyone." Alex ran his fingers through his hair again, trying to seem more relaxed than how he just portrayed himself to be. "I'm sorry?"

Elizabeth stood there for half a second, contemplating her options. When suddenly, she reached out her arms to hug him. As the confused Masshole moved in her arms reach, she punched him quickly in stomach. "Bastard. Don't do that again." She couldn't help but smile as she watched him clutch his gut in pain, moaning. Her good mood allowed her to help him to the couch so he could rest.

...

It had been around midnight and no one had seen or heard from the reunited pair. It didn't take anyone in the large house by surprise, but was still an uncomfortable setting. No obnoxious accents mingling together in declarations on anger and hate. It was also very peaceful for all parties after such a stress filled week.

New Jersey had entered the living room. He had decided it was best to check the obvious place they'd be in. Not that he'd want to catch anything, just to see how they, mainly New York, were doing. The sight he found was almost touching to Brian.

They laid next to each other on the same couch Elizabeth had been moping on hours before. They were talking in hushed voices about God knows what, but it made the other laugh and smile. The most shocking thing about this picture to Brian? Alex had his arms wrapped around her waist.

He gave a sly grin, taking a mental image of the site. Ah, the annoying younger brother side of him had struck. He quickly wrote down on a spare piece of paper 'I'm telling Vader.' Words that would have both of them terrified tomorrow morning.


End file.
